


Wicked Game

by wearewolves10



Series: Wicked Game [4]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Football | Soccer, catradora, tw: alcohol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:00:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23154436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wearewolves10/pseuds/wearewolves10
Summary: Adora has a chance to achieve her dream of becoming a professional soccer player. But to do so, she'd have to make some sacrifices. What if one of those sacrifices turns out to be her complicated relationship with her best friend, Catra? Catradora in a soccer AU set in the US state of North Carolina. Main part of the Wicked Game series. Title is a reference to the song "Wicked Game" by Chris Issak.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Series: Wicked Game [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1664386
Comments: 14
Kudos: 20





	1. The Dream Begins

Chapter 1: The Dream Begins

  
((Two years before the Preview))

  
“Don’t move.”

  
Adora froze in her sitting position on the grass, her dry erase marker and clipboard still in her hands.“What?”

  
“Seeing you like that gives me an idea,” Catra said, her gaze locked on Adora.

  
“Catra, there is literally a bug on my head,” Adora smiled, realizing the reason for Catra’s intent stare.

  
“Yeah but it’s a black butterfly so it’s metal as fuck,” Catra grinned in return, carefully pulling a notebook and pen out of her back left pocket.

  
Adora laughed, her movement sending the butterfly away.

  
“Adora!” Catra growled with a grin, hitting Adora on the shoulder. “You’re lucky I already got the inspiration I need to write.”

  
Adora grinned back. “Oh, I’m lucky, huh?” She put down the clipboard and marker, moving to push Catra’s shoulder back.

  
“Yeah!” Catra leapt from her own sitting position onto Adora, attempting to pin the blond to the ground beside the soccer field, “You are!” The two girls tussled in the spring grass for a while until a voice interrupted them.

  
“Um, Adora? Are you going to come warm up with us or not?” asked Adora’s teammate, Lonnie, “Or are you going to flirt with your girlfriend until the game begins?”

  
“WHAT?” Catra froze immediately and sent Lonnie a glare.

  
Adora laughed, her cheeks turning slightly redder, “We’re not girlfriends.”

  
“Yeah yeah just get your butt on the field, Captain.”

  
“Alright,” Adora stood up from her position on top of Catra, noticing the aggregation of people on the soccer field next to them. “I’ll be there in a minute. Start the warm-up jog around the field.”

  
Lonnie sighed and nodded, leaving Adora and Catra to finish their conversation. After Lonnie had left, Adora turned to Catra.

  
“I’ll see you after the game.”

  
“Good luck. Not that you need it.”

  
The two smiled at eachother before going their separate ways: Catra to set up her sideline folding chair and compose her next song, and Adora to the field to lead the Siskey YMCA Adult Co-ed soccer team to victory.

  
Today was the first game of the spring season playoffs; a clear and cool Friday evening in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina.

  
When the team had finished their warm-up lap, Adora took charge.

  
“Kevin, you’ll be the keeper. Rojelio, you’ll be left back. Lonnie, center back. Sebastian, right back. Kyle, right midfielder. Jasmine, left center mid. Rodrigo, right center mid. I’ll be center mid. And Stacy, left mid. The two-top will be Bobby and Amanda. Understand?”

  
The team responded as one, “Understood.”

  
“All right. Let’s get started on shot practice. Kevin, get in the goal.”

  
The team obeyed Adora’s order and got into position for the drill.

  
Meanwhile, Catra, in the folding chair she had bought at work with her employee discount, was mumbling to herself, scribbling lyrics into her notebook. By the time the game-starting whistle cut through the air, Catra had finished half of a new song. She placed the notebook back into her back pocket, looking back to her source of inspiration. (Not that she’d ever tell Adora that she was the muse for over half of Catra’s written songs so far.)

  
The first part of the game went well, Adora and the team learning their opponent’s strategy and keeping the score at zero to zero, and Catra keeping her insults of the other team and of Kyle to a minimum. Just before half-time, Adora gave the signal to the team to follow her lead, and they began playing for real.

  
Adora orchestrated a corner kick, and the team set up in front of their opponent’s goal. Adora sent a perfect assist toward Jasmine, the left-center mid, but before it could get to her, an overexcited Kyle ran into the way, kicking the ball back in the direction it had come from and into the nearby road.

  
Before anybody could yell at Kyle, their expressions turned to horror as the stray ball hit the windshield of an oncoming car. Luckily, the glass wasn’t broken, but the car did stop and pull over to the side of the road.

  
“Great job Kyle!” Catra laughed from the sidelines, her smile turning into a concerned frown as she saw Adora run to make sure the driver was all right. Adora athletically vaulted the waist-height metal barrier and approached the car as a woman with brown hair exited the car. The woman paused, noticing the soccer ball that lay a few feet from her on the grass.

  
“Of course that’s what would hit me,” the driver mumbled to herself as she walked toward the ball.

  
“Are you all right?” Adora called out once she was within earshot.

  
“Yeah, actually,” said the woman, also having noticed Adora’s show of athleticism in getting to her. “No harm done.” She chipped the soccer ball to Adora, who, caught by surprise at the sudden show of skill, one-touched the ball back to the field. The ball fell at the feet of the referee.

  
The driver raised an eyebrow. “Is this Audrey Kell high school?”

  
“Oh, no, this is the Siskey YMCA. You’re a little far off. But you can get to AK if you-“

  
Adora explained brief directions to the woman, who nodded and explained in turn that her phone had died and her car charger wasn’t working, so she had been trying to navigate Charlotte without GPS for the past few hours, and was grateful for the directions in spite of the soccer ball-on-windshield scare.

  
“I’m glad you’re all right,” Adora replied, remembering that she had a game to get back to. She sent the woman a wave before jogging back to the field, once again vaulting the metal road barrier with ease.

  
As Adora rejoined the game, the driver returned to her car and started it up.

  
“7:30pm, I’ve already missed the high school game,” the brunette muttered dismally after noting the time, “Hope’s going to have my head…”

  
Her anxiety turned into curiosity as she remembered Adora’s show of skill with the soccer ball.

  
“Unless…”

  
The woman drove her car into the YMCA’s parking lot and found a space, stepping out of the car and heading toward the field. Observing the game, she walked toward where Catra was sitting on the sidelines. As the woman took a seat in the grass next to Catra, Adora took the ball from the other team’s midfielder, dribbling down the field (past two defenders and the sliding goal keeper) and skillfully tapped the ball into the back of the opponent’s net.

  
“Who taught her those moves?” the woman asked Catra, nodding toward Adora, who was in the process of carrying the ball back to half-field for the re-start.

  
“Nobody. She’s been doing that since we were kids,” Catra replied before looking at the woman with suspicion. “What’s it to you?”

  
“Just impressed,” said the woman before returning her attention to the game, “It’s been a while since I’ve seen somebody play like that.”

  
Catra frowned at the strange woman before deciding to ignore her in favor of the game. She still kept tabs on the woman’s actions every so often; something about her, about the way she was watching Adora, didn’t sit well with Catra at all.

  
The rest of the game continued with the home team winning 4-0, Adora scoring two goals and assisting the other two. After the final whistle, Catra folded up her chair and returned to her car in the parking lot to wait for Adora. She kept an eye on the mysterious woman.

  
Once the teams had shaken hands and dispersed, the woman approached Adora, who was walking toward the parking lot.

  
“You ever play officially?” asked the woman, taking the blond by surprise.

  
Adora chuckled softly, recognizing the woman as the driver of the car from earlier. “No. Just rec leagues,” she said. Before she could ask the woman why she hadn’t gone to Audrey Kell High School like she had planned, Catra’s voice captured her attention from the parking lot.

  
“Adora! Hurry your ass up or I’m going to leave you! I’m not getting written up!”

  
The woman raised an eyebrow at Adora’s first answer. “Why not?”

  
“I’ll be right there!” Adora called back to Catra before replying to the woman, “Well, clubs and school sports cost money and time, and, I’ve worked as many hours as I can get since I was sixteen, just to afford the basics. Speaking of which, I’m really sorry, but I have to get to work.”

  
“How old are you?” the woman blurted out before she lost Adora’s attention.

  
“Twenty,” said Adora, turning to face the random woman with a slightly distressed but polite smile.

  
For some reason unknown to Adora, the woman smiled back even more excitedly. “When’s your next game?”

  
“Tomorrow, actually. Today was just a make-up from last week’s rain out.”

  
“All right. Adora, was it?”

  
“Yes ma’am.”

  
“No need to call me ma’am. I’m Mara.”

  
Something in Mara’s demeanor made Adora smile back, forgetting the pressure of time. “Yes Mara.”


	2. You and Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra and Adora travel to work together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Song to listen to for fun: "You and Me" by Lifehouse.))

Chapter 2: You and Me

“What was with that weird lady checking you out for the entire game?” Catra scoffed as Adora entered her and Catra’s car (a used, red, 2006 Hyundai Sonata) and put on her seatbelt.

“She was?” Adora asked.

“Yeah. Like she wanted to have your babies or something. Or turn you into a skin suit.”

Adora wrinkled her nose, laughing. “Why is it always sexual or macabre with you?”

“Working retail for four years straight will do that to you.”

“I’ve been working right beside you and I’m still relatively normal.”

Catra grinned, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road. “Maybe it’s having you as a best friend that makes me so warped.”

“Maybe,” Adora laughed, before continuing the conversation, “But I don’t think it was anything like that. She said her name was Mara, and she seemed more interested in soccer. Asked me when our next game was.”

Catra’s smile turned into a frown. “Why?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe she wants to play?”

Hearing this, Catra relaxed a little. “Well, we do need a new dayrunner at the store since Jerry quit. The store has been wrecked when we get there every night and it’s starting to piss me off.”

Adora smiled, noting that she and Catra were right on time to get to work. “Catra, you do realize that you don’t have to work at Zone to play for the YMCA team. It just worked out that this team is made up entirely of our coworkers.”

“Yeah, yeah. We still need a dayrunner.”

A sly look overtook Adora’s expression.“Sounds like you’re thinking like a manager, Catra.”

Catra scoffed again. “Are you kidding me? Ten times the responsibility for barely twice the pay? No thanks. I’m fine as a regular stock clerk.”

“Hey, you never know, Ms. Weaver might want to retire someday. And your degree path at Central Piedmont Community College is in business, isn’t it?”

“You know damn well that Ms. Weaver isn’t going to be able to retire until she’d dead, and my degree is going to get me Hordak’s job.”

“Right, right, Store Director Catra. It does have a nice ring to it.”

“You bet your ass it does.”

The two friends spent the rest of the ride fiddling with the radio, Adora wanting to listen to some positive pop while Catra insisted on hard rock. They compromised on the new alternative rock station and arrived at their destination in a good mood, as they nearly always did when together.


	3. Stuck in the Middle With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A typical overnight of work at The Zone for Adora and Catra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Song to listen to for fun: "Stuck in the Middle with You" the version by Grace Potter.))

The night of work began in the usual way as well, with Adora and Catra racing to the time clock, shoving eachother and laughing on the way.

“Damn, it’s only 8:55pm. We still have three minutes before we can clock in,” Catra said, pausing in her attempt to get Adora into a sleeper hold from her position on Adora’s back.

Adora, still supporting Catra’s legs and holding her best friend up, nodded.

“Wanna go check out the clearance section real quick?” she asked.

“Nah. We don’t have enough time. How about I kick your ass-“ said Catra, and with that, she locked Adora into a light sleeper hold.

Adora laughed, eventually kneeling to the ground and gently but effectively tipping Catra off of her back.

“Hey! You got my uniform dirty,” said Catra from her position on the floor as she got up and leaned against the wall by the time clock.

“How else was I supposed to get out of that hold?”

“You could have asked nicely.”

“When has that ever worked?”

Catra grinned in response.

“Fine. Hey! It’s 8:58-“

Catra quickly swiped her name badge into the time clock and sauntered away proudly.

Adora rolled her eyes with a smile before doing the same and joining Catra. The two friends walked toward the back room’s unloading area, where Ms. Weaver was currently unloading the non-perishable items truck that had just arrived.

“Adora! Good to see you,” said Ms. Weaver as she used the power jack (electronically powered pallet jack, a machine used to lift heavy wooden or plastic pallets) to get a pallet of water and seltzer bottles off of the truck. “Can you start taking these and the bulk pallets to their areas?”

“Yes ma’am!” Adora replied quickly, running off to find a manual pallet jack.

“I guess I’ll help her,” Catra mumbled.

“Yes,” was Shadow Weaver’s curt response as she passed Catra on her way to move the pallet to an area where Adora could access it with a pallet jack and bring it to the main floor.

Adora and Catra used the manual pallet jacks they found to bring the juice, water and bulk pallets from the back room to their designated areas on the main store’s shopping area. Adora, the stronger of the two friends, made sure to take all the heavier pallets, like juice and water, while Catra stuck to lighter ones like paper products. After they’d finished that, they reported to the back room again, where Ms. Weaver had already brought out two of the ten grocery item pallets and had started sorting the items onto empty pallets designated to each aisle.

Adora and Catra were already well-acquainted with the plan. Pallets were placed around the edge of the open section of the loading area, aisle one pallets starting on the left, and going clockwise around the edge of the room were the pallets for aisles two through six. Shopping carts (also called buggies) were scattered around the area for miscellaneous categories like baby food and pet products.

“So, did you watch that video I sent you?” Catra asked Adora as they began sorting the boxes.

“The one where the handball player falls onto the other player and ends up accidentally groping her?”

“Yeah!”

“It was pretty funny!”

“And gay. Sports are gay, Adora.”

“They are not!” Adora took a moment to think on the subject, “Ok, maybe a little… ok sports are really gay.”

“Quit the chit-chat. You can talk when we’ve finished the truck,” Ms. Weaver interrupted.

“Yes, Ms. Weaver,” Adora and Catra said. Once Ms. Weaver’s back was turned, they sent eachother a grin and started racing to see who could sort the most items the most quickly.

“That’s what I like to see,” Ms. Weaver said proudly as the two pallets were quickly finished and, now empty, stacked to the side, “Eight to go.”

She grabbed the power jack and went back on to the truck to get two more pallets to sort. Once Ms. Weaver had disappeared onto the truck, Adora found herself hit in the chest with a small box of dog treats.

“Go put this in the pet buggy, will you?” Catra grinned.

“You know we’re not supposed to throw things,” Adora said, walking over to a buggy and placing the box into it.

“I’m saving time. Gotta’ be efficient.”

Adora shook her head with a smile.

At 10:00pm, other associates arrived and helped Catra, Adora, and Ms. Weaver sort the rest of the truck, and eventually the sorted pallets were ready to be brought to the store’s main shopping floor to be stocked. The rest of the night went smoothly, everyone finishing in good time and Ms. Weaver being kept in a fairly good mood.

“Are you coming to the game tomorrow?” Adora asked Catra as they clocked out and walked to their car.

“No, sorry. Justin texted me earlier tonight. He wants to talk in person; said he needs some advice,” Catra said.

Adora nodded.

“I hope everything’s ok,” Adora said.

“It’s probably fine. He’s probably just looking for a way to finally break up with John. I saw that coming from a mile away.”

“Ok, well, you guys be safe,” Adora said.

“Yeah, yeah. You too. I’m sure you’ll kick some ass.”

“Thanks.”


	4. The Real Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mara and another mystery woman have come to Charlotte to watch Adora's next soccer game.

The next evening, Adora and the team were warming up before their next game in the final tournament. Not many people came to the games, being that it was an adult league. There were usually just the players themselves and the occasional romantic partner, and Catra. But everyone thought that Adora and Catra were dating, anyway, so she was labeled as a part of that group. Not that Adora or Catra were aware of this collective assumption. So when two random women showed up to the game, they ended up turning some heads.

“So, who do you know on the team?” asked the goalkeeper’s boyfriend. He and Kevin had only just starting dating, and it was his first time attending the game, so he didn’t know that Mara and the new woman weren’t usually there.

“Oh, um, we’re here to see Adora. I met her last game,” replied Mara.

“Oh, ok,” Kevin’s boyfriend said, a little confused but not pushing the matter farther.

Mara went back to whispering with the purple-haired woman she had arrived with, pointing at Adora as the team dispersed into their positions on the field. Adora, oblivious and humble as ever, just assumed that Mara and the new woman were interested in joining the team next season. The whistle blew.

Adora’s team had gotten the ball first so the forwards did their start and passed the ball back to Adora before running up the field into their positions. Adora dribbled the ball up the field after them, using quick pace to her advantage as she maneuvered around the opponents who ran at her. Before the game, Adora had heard the other team bragging about how nobody had scored on them yet this season because of their phenomenal defense, so she thought she’d pull a power move to shake the other team’s confidence and bolster her own team’s spirit. Adora got to a point where multiple defenders were on her,

‘Their defense is good,’ she thought, ‘they get back fast,’

so she took the opportunity to flick the ball to her teammate, Bobby, the left striker.

“One-two!” Adora called, sliding through a gap in the defenders and making sure to stay on-side as she sprinted up the field. Bobby passed it right back to Adora, who promptly controlled the pass and took a powerful shot, sending the ball into the back of the opponent’s net.

Cheers erupted from the scoring team and the sidelines. Not a minute after the starting whistle had blown, the whistle blew again to signal a re-start.

Adora high-fived Bobby, congratulating him on his assist as she picked up the soccer ball and brought it back to the center line.

“Let’s keep it up, guys!” she called to her team encouragingly.

The rest of the game went fairly similarly, with heavy pressure on Adora, who in spite of that always found a way to get out of trouble and incorporate her teammates into the plays. The home team won 4-0 again, with Kyle even scoring a goal. Ok, the ball had bounced off of his backside and into the goal, but Adora (the assist maker in that goal) had congratulated him anyway.

After the game was done, Adora was approached once again by Mara. And this time, the purple-haired woman was with her.

“Adora!”

“Oh, hi! Mara, right?”

“Yes! And this is Light Hope, head coach of the UNC women’s team.”

Adora paused for a second, her apology of ‘sorry I had to leave so quickly yesterday’ falling away from her thoughts. After a moment of shock, she remembered to put out her hand, which both Mara and Light Hope shook.

“The UNC women’s soccer team?” Adora asked, feeling dumb but not being able to help it at the moment.

“Yes,” said Light Hope, “Was that not clear?”

Light Hope turned to Mara for clarification.

“Mara, did Adora not know that I would be attending this game?”

“Nope! You just saw her play that well even casually. Didn’t I say she had talent?”

“Yes, I was very impressed by your performance, Adora,” said Light Hope, turning back to the awe-struck Adora, “Not only are you a skilled finisher, but your teamwork and playmaking are also remarkable. However, I would like to see how you perform under pressure. You have another game next week, yes?”

“Yes,” said Adora, still wide-eyed, “At the Morrison YMCA. 7pm.”

“Very well. We will see you then. Thank you for your time.”

Light Hope walked away, back to the car that she and Mara had driven in from Chapel Hill.

Mara chuckled sheepishly.

“Sorry about her, she’s straight to business. Her nickname back in her playing days, and even now, is The Machine. So, you said last time that you’re twenty?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you have any college credits?”

“Yeah, this semester I’ll be finishing my liberal arts degree at CPCC.”

“That’s perfect! If Light Hope likes you, what would you say about transferring to Chapel Hill afterward? You’ll have to attend the school for a year before you’re eligible to play, but by the time your senior year rolls around, I just know you’ll be the key to putting the Tarheels back on top!”

“You really think I can do that?”

“I’m willing to bet my career that you can.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“As a player and a scout, I’ve only seen a handful of players who have the flair, drive, and athleticism I’ve seen in you. It’s a feeling I get, in my gut. I believe that if you want to, you can go far.”

“How far?”

“As far as you want,” Mara shrugged, “Have you heard of the Carolina Courage?”

“Have I?! They’re only my favorite women’s pro soccer team!”

“I’m a friend of the coach. If you can win for Chapel Hill, you might even have a spot on the Courage when you graduate.”

Mara was making all these promises. Was any of it real?

“Thank you. I’ll, um, it’s a lot to take in. I’ll talk with you more about it next week?”

“Sure. Here’s my card if you have any questions.”

Mara handed Adora a business card with the UNC Chapel Hill logo on the back and her full name, title, and contact information on the front.

‘This woman is the real deal.’

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Like I said, call me Mara.”

“Thank you Mara.”


	5. Drunks are the Modern Day Greek Chorus

Chapter 5: Drunks are the Modern Day Greek Chorus

After the game, Adora, Lonnie and Rogelio decided to take Kyle out to get some icecream and celebrate his rare goal. As the other three piled into Adora and Catra’s car, laughing and teasing eachother, Adora pulled out her phone from her bag and called Catra.

“Hey Adora,” Catra purred as she picked up the phone.

“Hey Catra,” Adora smiled, “You and Justin doing ok?”

“More than ok,” was Catra’s elated response, “Boy do I have some news to tell you.”

“Sounds great!” replied Adora excitedly, before her demeanor switched to a more serious one, “And you know I’ve gotta ask…”

“Only three. Enough to get a slight buzz but not drunk,” was Catra’s reply.

“I’m proud of you, Catra.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Lonnie saying from the back seat of the car,

“Adora! Stop flirting with Catra and let’s get this boy some icecream!”

Lonnie put Kyle into a playful headlock as Rogelio closed the back door of the car and entered the front passenger’s seat.

“Ok, ok! Just give me a second,” Adora said, putting on her seatbelt.

“Did Lonnie say we were flirting again?” asked Catra from the other side of the line.

“Yeah,” chuckled Adora.

“Well if we’re going out, why haven’t we been on a date?” Catra teased.

“That was what I was just about to ask you!” Adora said, “Want to celebrate Kyle’s goal with me, Lonnie, him and Rogelio at Ben & Jerry’s?”

“Kyle scored a goal?”

“Yeah!”

“Now that I don’t believe. But I’ll have icecream with you. Especially if it’s Ben & Jerry’s.”

“All right. We’ll be by Justin’s apartment in a few.”

“All right. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Catra hung up the phone and returned to Justin’s living room, where she received an expectant look.

“What?” she said to her friend.

“Was that Adora?”

“Yeah.”

“I knew it!” said Justin from his position on the couch, tipping his drink at Catra excitedly, “Your face lit up the second you saw the caller ID.”

Catra looked away as she took a seat next to him.

“What’s your point?”

“My point is,” the drummer said, “I’m happy for you guys. I know we haven’t really gotten to talk like this in a while, so, when did you guys officially start dating?”

“What?” Catra sent her friend a glare, “We’re not dating.”

“Really? Well, why haven’t you asked her out?”

“You know damn well why not, Justin.”

“I’ve had eight drinks, Catra. Call me Jon Snow, for I know nothing.”

Catra scowled, saying nothing.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve been drinking way less for the past few months. Just because my life’s been a garbage fire doesn’t mean I’m not happy for you.”

“Yeah, well, hopefully things will suck less for you once you break it off with John,” Catra said, “And yeah, the drinking less thing is Adora’s doing.”

“She doesn’t like when you drink?”

“She worries about me.”

“That girl loves you.”

“Shut up. You’re drunk.”

“They say that drunks tell the truth.”

“They also say that drunks are idiots.”

“This is true too.”

The two friends spent the next while in companionable silence before Adora and the rest of the crew arrived.

“Remember what I said,” said Justin as Catra was on her way out.

“That you and John are finally over?”

“Well, yeah, that, and that Adora loves you.”

“Shut up. Just take care of yourself you idiot.”

Catra shut the door and walked to the car where Adora and the others were waiting.


	6. A Weekly Catradora Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra and Adora arrive home.

Later that night, Adora and Catra returned to their house while the others went to their shift at The Zone.

“So why couldn’t you tell me the big news while the others were around?” Adora asked, throwing her dirty soccer socks and uniform into the laundry room to wash later that night. Catra, meanwhile, had taken a seat on the couch in the living room.

“Those losers wouldn’t really understand. And I wanted you to be the first to know,” Catra said. Once Adora had entered the living room, Catra jumped onto the couch, her arms spread wide.

“You’re looking at the new lead singer and guitarist of Wayward Ones.”

“Catra! That’s amazing!”

Adora picked Catra up bridal-style and spun her around in celebration. The two laughed and Catra wrapped her arms around Adora’s shoulders before Adora suddenly stopped.

“Ah- sorry,” Adora said, putting Catra back down onto the couch as she realized that she was still covered in grass and sweat from soccer.

“It’s all right, no big deal,” Catra replied, tapping Adora’s arm lightly. For some reason, Catra had never really minded the way Adora smelled. Ever. And right now she smelled like fresh-cut grass and sweat. Wait, was it normal to like that? Probably not.

‘Damn it, stop being gay Catra,’ Catra thought before quickly switching the subject in her head and aloud.

“So, um, you wanna watch a movie?”

“Sure!” Adora replied, “I’ll take a shower and be right down. But the first thing we’ll do when I get back is discuss when and where your first gig is so I can support you.”

Catra smiled.

“Sounds good.” She turned on the tv and began flipping channels.

With Catra’s attention on the tv, Adora walked up the stairs. She was so proud of Catra, and excited to support her in every way she could.

‘I guess I’ll be a band groupie,’ Adora thought with a smile as she stepped into the shower. Letting the cool water run over her head and face, Adora’s thoughts went back to the conversation with Mara she’d had earlier that day.

‘But if I go to Chapel Hill…’

Adora’s content smile turned into a worried frown.

‘I’d have to live there. And with school and soccer…’

That could ruin everything. Adora spent the rest of the shower in worry, but composed herself as she was walking back down the stairs to join Catra.

‘It’s not a sure thing, anyway,’ Adora reasoned with herself as she entered the living room, ‘Maybe soccer’s just a silly dream after all.’

With that, Adora’s attention was back on Catra, who had gotten snacks from the kitchen and laid them out on the coffee table.

“What are you watching?” Adora asked, taking a handful of popcorn and a seat next to Catra on the couch.

“Nothing, really,” Catra said, “Been trying to find something but it’s mostly commercials.”

Catra turned to Adora, and in the split second before she spoke, caught the gentle scent of flowers. Her face felt hot again. Why was she feeling so gay tonight? She used the action of grabbing some more popcorn to move slightly away from Adora.

“So, our first gig with me out front is a couple weeks from now.”

“That’s great! Where is it?”

“At this restaurant out in Mt. Pleasant. 73 and Main.”

“Well, I’ll be there.”

“You don’t have to be. The place is an hour away-“

“Are you kidding? It’s your first gig. Of course I’m going to be there.”

The two best friends spent the rest of the night watching movies and talking about Catra’s bright future as a lead singer and guitarist.


End file.
